Reading Comprehension Sample Questions

The Reading Comprehension section tests your ability to read and comprehend both academic and non-academic texts.

After you read each passage, read the questions that follow it and the four possible answers. Choose the best answer by filling in the space — see sample answer below — that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have chosen.

Print the TOEFLJunior® Answer Sheet to respond to the numbered sample questions below. If you do not have access to a printer, you can use a sheet of blank paper to write down your answers. A link to the answer key is included at the end of the sample questions.

Sample: Reading Comprehension Questions

Questions 1–4 are about the following announcement.

Student Volunteers Needed!

On Saturday, December 12th, from 10 A.M. until 4 P.M., Carverton Middle School will be holding a music festival in the school gymnasium. The special event will feature a variety of professional musicians and singers.

Task

Time

Date

Make posters

1 P.M.–4 P.M.

December 5th

Set up gym

11 A.M.–4 P.M.

December 11th

Help performers

9 A.M.–4 P.M.

December 12th

Welcome guests

10 A.M.–2 P.M.

December 12th

Clean up gym

4 P.M.–7 P.M.

December 12th

Interested students should speak with Ms. Braxton, the music teacher. Students who would like to help at the festival must have written permission from a parent or guardian.

1. What time will the festival begin?

10 A.M.

11 A.M.

1 P.M.

2 P.M.

2. In line 2, the word feature is closest in meaning to _______.

look

keep

include

entertain

3. What job will be done the day before the festival begins?

Making posters

Setting up the gym

Cleaning up the gym

Helping the performers

4. Who is told to talk to Ms. Braxton?

Parents

Students

Teachers

Performers

Questions 5–11 refer to the following story.

Line

"Did you see that?" Joe said to his friend Bill. "You're a great shooter!"
Bill caught the basketball and bounced it before throwing it again. The ball flew into
the net.
"Bill, you never miss!" Joe said admiringly.

5

"Unless I'm in a real game," Bill complained. "Then I miss all the time."
Joe knew that Bill was right. Bill performed much better when he was having fun
with Joe in the school yard than he did when he was playing for the school team in front
of a large crowd.
"Maybe you just need to practice more," Joe suggested.

10

"But I practice all the time with you!" Bill objected. He shook his head. "I just can't
play well when people are watching me."
"You play well when I'm watching," Joe pointed out.
"That's because I've known you since we were five years old," Bill said with a smile. "I'm just not
comfortable playing when other people are around."

15

Joe nodded and understood, but he also had an idea.
The next day Joe and Bill met in the school yard again to practice. After a few minutes, Joe
excused himself.
"Practice without me," Joe said to his friend. "I'll be back in a minute."
Joe hurried through the school building, gathering together whomever he could find—two

20

students, a math teacher, two secretaries, and a janitor.

When Joe explained why he needed them, everyone
was happy to help.
Joe reminded the group to stay quiet as they all
went toward the school's basketball court. As Joe

25

had hoped, Bill was still practicing basketball. He
made five baskets in a row without noticing the
silent people standing behind him.
"Hey, Bill!" Joe called out finally.
Bill turned. A look of surprise came over his

30

face.
"I just wanted to show you that you could play
well with people watching you," Joe said. "Now
you'll have nothing to worry about for the next
game!"

5. What would be the best title for the story?

Joe Joins the Team

Practice Makes Perfect

Bill Wins the Big Game

Bill's Basketball Problem

6. In line 6, the word performed is closest in meaning to _______.

acted

played

moved

changed

7. Why is Bill upset?

He plays better in practice than he does during games.

The school yard is not a good place to practice.

Joe watches him too closely when he plays.

His team loses too many games.

8. Why does Bill play well when Joe is watching him?

He is comfortable with Joe.

Joe tells him how to play better.

He does not know that Joe is there.

He wants to prove to Joe that he is a good player.

9. Why does Joe decide to gather a group of people?

Because he wants more players for his team

Because he wants to help Bill feel less nervous

Because he wants to show them his talent

Because he wants more people to see the next game

10. At the end of the story, all of the following people watch Bill practice EXCEPT _____.

Joe

a janitor

a math teacher

the basketball coach

11. Why does the group have to be quiet when they go to the basketball court?

Because Joe is telling Bill what to do

Because they do not want Bill to know they were there

Because Bill likes to practice alone

Because the group needs to listen to Joe’s instructions

Questions 12–20 are about the following passage.

Line

When another old cave is discovered in the south of France, it is not usually news. Rather, it

is an ordinary event. Such discoveries are so frequent
these days that hardly anybody pays heed to them. However,
when the Lascaux cave complex was discovered in 1940,

5

the world was amazed. Painted directly on its walls were
hundreds of scenes showing how people lived thousands
of years ago. The scenes show people hunting animals,
such as bison or wild cats. Other images depict birds and,
most noticeably, horses, which appear in more than

10

300 wall images, by far outnumbering all other animals.
Early artists drawing these animals accomplished
a monumental and difficult task. They did not limit
themselves to the easily accessible walls but carried
their painting materials to spaces that required climbing

15

steep walls or crawling into narrow passages in the
Lascaux complex.
Unfortunately, the paintings have been exposed to the
destructive action of water and temperature changes, which
easily wear the images away. Because the Lascaux caves have

20

many entrances, air movement has also damaged the images inside.
Although they are not out in the open air, where natural light would have

destroyed them long ago, many of the images have deteriorated and are barely
recognizable. To prevent further damage, the site was closed to tourists in 1963, 23 years after
it was discovered.

12. Which title best summarizes the main idea of the passage?

Wild Animals in Art

Hidden Prehistoric Paintings

Exploring Caves Respectfully

Determining the Age of French Caves

13. In line 3, the words pays heed to are closest in meaning to ______.

discovers

watches

notices

buys

14. Based on the passage, what is probably true about the south of France?

It is home to rare animals.

It has a large number of caves.

It is known for horse-racing events.

It has attracted many famous artists.

15. According to the passage, which animals appear most often on the cave walls?

Birds

Bison

Horses

Wild cats

16. In line 8, the word depict is closest in meaning to _______.

show

hunt

count

draw

17. Why was painting inside the Lascaux complex a difficult task?

It was completely dark inside.

The caves were full of wild animals.

Painting materials were hard to find.

Many painting spaces were difficult to reach.

18. In line 12, the word They refers to _______.

walls

artists

animals

materials

19. According to the passage, all of the following have caused damage to the paintings
EXCEPT _______ .